Device for making stereoscopic photographs



W. J. PRUCHA.

DEVICE FOR MAKING STEREOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHS. APPLICATION FILED 1m. 16. I920.

1,37 1,438. Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET w. J. PRUCHA. DEVICE FOR MAKING STEREOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. l6, I920.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JAMES PBUGEA, OF SAN DIEGO, GALII'OBNIA.

DEVICE FOR MING Specification of Letters Patent.

STEBEOSCOPIO PHOTOGRAPHS.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed January 16,1920. Serial No. 851,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM JAMES PRUGHA, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, California, in the county of San Diego, and whose postofiice address is 1132 Eighth street, San Diego, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Making Stereoscopic Photographs; and I do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description 0 the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

This invention relates to stereoscopic photo h Ih ih e past, stereoscopic pictures have been made with cameras which have been built especiall for the purpose, which necessitated not on y expert knowledge of the use of the camera, but also of the manner 0 printing the pictures by the transposing of the films. It has therefore, been diflicult, if not impossible, for an amateur to success fully produce a stereoscopic picture, and furthermore, the cost of the stereoscopic camera has been more or less prohibitive, so far as the amateur, photographer is concerned. It is the object of my invention to provide a device for producing stereoscopic pictures, which will not only enable the amateur to successfull produce such pictures, bu which will a so enable him to use the ordinary single lens camera and which will also enable him to print the pictures without transposing the films, that is to say, by the. ordinary successive arrangement.

It is a further object of the invention to so construct the device that it may be attached to the ordinary tripod, and so that it will be relatively inexpensive.

In the drawing:

Figu showing the two positions platen with a single lens camera mounted thereon, the latter beingshown conventionally, however;

ig. 2 is a front elevationthereof with the camera shown in both positions;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the platen in one of its extreme positions; and

'Fig. 4 is an edge'elevatlon.

In the drawing I have illustrated the ordinary'tripod 10 which is provided at the upper end with the usual screw 11 which 19 ordinarily used for the-attachment of the camera to the tripod, but by which I attach re 1 is a rear elevation of the device 'tionar -turne which ears are in spaced relation,

f likewise moved. This of the movable gra my device to the tripod. My device comprises a stationary aten 12 which is pro- VIdBCl on its inner ace with means for receivi the screw 11. At one side of the staplaten 12, a pair of cars 13 is upand at the other side of the platen, an upturned flange 14 which serves as a track, is located. A shaft 15 extends through the cars 13 and is both rotatable and slidable therein, the shaft being considerably longer than the distance between the ears, so that it may have extensive sliding movement in both directions. A second or movable platen 16 is rovided with a pair of downwardly extending cars 17, through which the shaft 15 extends, and to which said shaft is rigidly secured, so that when the shaft is moved longitudinally or rotatably, the platen 16 will be platen 16 is preferably flat and adapted to extend over the stationary platen 12, and has a portion 18 which rests upon the upper edge of the flange or track 14 and slides longitudinally thereon, the movable platen being supported in a substantially horizontal posltion. This movable platen is provided with a thumb screwor other suitable securing means 19 for the camera, so that the camera will rest upon the upper face of the movable platen and be en ported in the proper position thereon.

n operation the stationary platen 12 may be secured to the tripod by means of the fastener 11 and movable laten 16 may be moved pivotally on the s aft 15 so as to permit easy access to the screw 19 for the attach ment of the camera to the movable platen. After the camera is properly attached, the platen 16 is swung to such a position that the extended portion 18' thereof rests upon the track 14 so that the camera will be in proper relation to the object to be photophed. Before the film is exposed, the movable platen 16 is moved to one of its extreme positions, to the left, for instance as shown in 1. In this position one .o the cars 17 wil abut against file adjacent ear 13 on the stationary platen, and the camera will thus be positively ositioned. In this relation the film is ex and after the exposing of the first film, the laten 16 is shifted to its other extreme posit on where the opposite car 17 abuts the adjacent stationary ear 13. In this extreme, or right hand position, the second film is exposed. Thus, successive films are made from opposite sides of the objects. It will, of course, be realized that the shifting of the camera from one side of the object to the opposite side, enables the use of the ordinary single lens camera, so that the amateur may succesefully make a stereoscopic picture without any more knowled than 18 required in the making of an or nary picture with a si le lens camera. After the films are ma e they are printed in the succession in which they are made without the necessity of transposing. Or on the other hand, the pictures may be printed directly from the negatives and used in the ordinary stereoscope.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a stationary platen, a platen mounted thereon for pivotal and sliding movements, and a single lens camera supported by the movable platen.

2. In a device of the class described, a stationary platen, a platen mounted thereon for pivotal and sliding movements, said stationary platen provided at its rear with an u standin fin for slid bl su rt' p a ge a the iii rwoi d the rear 0 said movable platen,

ends of each platen being connected together for pivotal and sliding movements and a single lens camera supported by the movable laten.

3. device of the class described, a stationary platen, a platen mounted thereon for pivotal and sliding movements, said stationary platen provided at its rear with an upstanding-flan and at its front portion with a pair of bent up ears, the rear of said movable platen resting on and having sliding engagement with the upstanding rear flange of the stationary platen, the front portlon of said movable platen provided with downwardly extendin ears overhanging said ears of the move 1e platen and a pivot member passing through all of said ears, the ears of the movable platen bein s aced much wider apart than the ears 0 t e stationary platen to allow for sufiicient sliding movement of the movablev platen.

In testimonv whereof I aflix mfisl ature.

WILLIAM JAMES P U HA. 

